Mesoamerica

Question 1

How does religion dictate action

Answer 1

• Mayan king regarded as holy figure
• Mayan cities dedicated to gods with elaborate stone carvings
• Human sacrifice to keep balance and avoid natural disasters

Question 2

How is power gained, used, and challenged

Answer 2

• Priests and warriors made up noble class
• Aztecs started off weak but adapted to local ways
• Incas established power over large groups by using Aylin system

Question 3

How does economic and cultural exchange impact societal development

Answer 3

• Mayans took Olmec influence combined with local customs

- Cities linked through trade

Question 4

Maya Empire

Answer 4

Divided into city-states; supported though agriculture and trade; developed written language

Question 5

Glyph

Answer 5

Hieroglyphic symbols, pictograph

Question 6

Obsidian

Answer 6

Used to make sharp weapons

Hard dar volcanic rock

Question 7

Incan Empire

Answer 7

Built off of conquest; Ayllu system; agricultural advancements

No written language

Question 8

Quipu

Answer 8

Arrangement of knotted strings on a cord used by Inca to arrange numerical info

Question 9

Francisco Pizarro

Answer 9

Conquistador who conquered the Incan Empire

Captured and killed Incan emperor Atahualpa and claimed the lands for Spain

Question 10

Mestizo

Answer 10

A person of mixed Spanish and Native American ancestry

Question 11

Cacao

Answer 11

Chocolate; used as a currency in mesoamerican society

Question 12

Conquistador

Answer 12

Spanish soldiers/explorers who took part in conquest of the Americas

Question 13

Encomienda

Answer 13

Grant of land made by Spain to a settler in the Americas

Question 14

Machu Picchu

Answer 14

Incan City

Fortress high in the Andes (modern day Peru) believed to have been a royal estate or sacred religious site for Inca leaders

Question 15

Yucatán

Answer 15

Part of Mayan Empire conquered by Spanish Conquiestadors

Peninsula home to both Mayan and Aztec civilization (in that orders)

Question 16

Codex

Answer 16

Ancient manuscript or text in book form

Question 17

Quetzalcoatl

Answer 17

One of the most important gods for Mayans and aztecs, mixture of bird and rattlesnake

Question 18

Triple Alliance

Answer 18

3 City states of the Aztec civilization that banded together

Question 19

Pachacuti

Answer 19

Incan Empire founder

Question 20

Quechua

Answer 20

Incan language

Question 21

Cuzco

Answer 21

Capital of Inca EMpire

Question 22

Atahualpa

Answer 22

Son of Incan emperor, Huayna capa; received ecuador. Attempted to lay

Question 23

Aztec Empire

Answer 23

Empire of ancient civilization that was very advanced for the time

Advanced education, math advancements, medical advancements, etc

Question 24

Terraces

Answer 24

Levels of land built into the landscape/mountainside

Allows farmers to use more land on the mountain slopes, and to move further up the mountain than they would normally would be able to. Used by Mayan, aztecs, and inca

Question 25

Slash and burn

Answer 25

Trees and cut down and let to dry for a period of time. Dry wood and grass set on fire, resulting ash adds nutrients to the soil Used by all 3 civs

Question 26

Pachacuti

Answer 26

9th inca ruler, founded empire with conquests in Cuzco valley and more Credited with the founding of the site of Machu Picchu

Question 27

Atahualpa

Answer 27

Last inca ruler, executed by pizarra in 1533, marking end of Inca empire

Question 28

Mestizo

Answer 28

Person of combined European and Amerindian/Pacific Islander descent

Question 29

Tikal

Answer 29

Ancient Mayan citadel in north Guatemala

Question 30

Popul Vuh

Answer 30

Mayan text, translates to book of the people, includes tales, genealogy, creation myth

Question 31

Quechua

Answer 31

Indigenous people of central andes, descendants of incas

Question 32

Colony

Answer 32

Territory controlled by an empire

Question 33

Encomienda

Answer 33

grant by the Spanish Crown to a colonist conferring the right to demand tribute and forced labor from the Indian inhabitants of an area

Question 34

Cuzco

Answer 34

Capital of the Incan empire

Question 35

Conquistadors

Answer 35

Conquerors from Spain, came to esoameirca nad South America, conquered natives and claimed land as colonies of spain (Columbus pizzaro etc)

Question 36

Valley of Mexico

Answer 36

Where modern Mexico City is located, where Aztec were located

Question 37

Tenochtitlán

Answer 37

Aztec capital

Question 38

Ayllu

Answer 38

An Incan community or family group that worked together to reach a common goal, traditional form of community in andes

Question 39

Montezuma II

Answer 39

Bad ruler who increased sacrifice, leading to a period and unrest and rebellion that the military was unable to subdue Encountered cortes when he invaded Mexico